A Governess's Guide to Passion & Peril

  A Governess's Guide to Passion & Peril (2024) by Manda Collins (read by Mary Jane Wells)

After Jane Halliwell's father killed himself and bankruptcy from gambling debts was found to be the reason, she and her mother were shunned by their former "friends" connected to the Foreign Office (where Halliwell had worked) as well as by the echelons of polite society. Jane's mother went to live with a cousin in Scotland and Jane was forced to support herself through governess positions. After being dismissed without a character from one post (because the man of the house couldn't keep himself to himself--and naturally she was blamed), one of her father's few remaining friends, Lord Guilford gives her a post as governess to his daughter Margaret (Meg). But his wife is none too pleased because she is friends of the woman who dismissed Jane and makes Jane's life miserable. She frequently reminds her to keep her place and not to "cast lures" at any gentlemen in the house if she doesn't want to cast out again.

Lord Guilford, a noted fancier of roses, is hosting a conference on rose gardening...which is totally not about roses. It's just a cover for a little diplomatic get-together in which England and other countries will be trying to convince a tiny little east European country (for which, read fictional) to sell its plans for a "long-distance talking device" to their governments. Guilford's right-hand man for this event is Lord Adrian Fielding who knew Jane and her family in Rome (Halliwell's last posting) and who...in Jane's mind...walked away from them* when they needed friends the most. And he's the last person that Jane wants to see. (*Jane didn't know that he'd received his own marching orders from the Foreign Office and had no time to say goodbye.) 

But fate has a way with things. When a woman cancels at the last moment, Lady Guilford asks Jane to attend the conference dinner to balance the numbers (heaven forbid that there be more gentleman than ladies...or vice versa). And so she comes face-to-face with the man she worshipped from afar (she was in her late teens when he was a twenty-something low-ranking official with the Foreign Office in Rome). And--as these things go--of course, they both are immediately drawn to each other while firmly denying any interest whatsoever....

When the ladies leave the gentlemen to their port, Lady Guilford sends Jane off to retrieve a shawl she left in Guilford's study. Jane finds not only the missing shawl, but the dead body of her employer. Lord Guilford has been stabbed. Did one of the rival diplomats take exception to England's leading position in the race for the new invention? Was there a personal grudge? When a page from Machiavelli--with an underlined quote--and a pressed rose are found in the dead man's pocket, Jane, Lord Adrian, and Inspector Eversham (who is called in on the case) realize that maybe someone is targeting men in the Foreign Office....and maybe Halliwell's death wasn't a suicide after all. A few other suspicion FO deaths are discovered and now the trio are in a race to uncover the villain behind the deaths before he can strike again.

If the previous "Ladies Most Scandalous" book was a nicely done, more fairly clued mystery in the classic style, then this one adds a bit of spymaster spice. We've got the elements of the Foreign Office thrown in so we're not sure whether the motive is more prosaic (personal gain, jealousy, etc) or exotic (national secrets, experimental devices, etc). It mixes things up nicely and I enjoy watching Collins try her hand at various mystery genres. My one complaint is how formulaic the romances are becoming--two people who claim to have no interest in one another now (whether they've just met or had reason to be friendly in the past) and all and sundry can see the obvious sparks between them and then suddenly they realize that they are mad for each other (and wind up having sexy scenes after like two kisses--and in the middle of a murder investigation, no less). But...it's fiction after all and I do like the romantic fluff in general, especially since it's tied to some pretty good mysteries. ★★★★

Oh...and I meant to mention this in the previous audio version reviews I did: Mary Jane Wells does an absolutely fabulous job with the narration and handling the various voices for all the characters. I thoroughly enjoy her interpretations of these people and especially how she is able to carry forward the intonations and vocal qualities she's given to characters who recur from story to story. 

First line: "Margaret, do stop staring out the window and pay attention to your geography lesson please."

Last line: "I love you more," Adrian said, framing her face in his hands and with the gentle sound of water lapping at the sides of the boat, he kissed her.
******************

Deaths =  7 (two carriage accident; two stabbed; two shot; one poisoned)

A Spinster's Guide to Danger & Dukes

  A Spinster's Guide to Danger & Dukes (2023) by Manda Collins (read by Mary Jane Wells)

Miss Poppy Delamare has been living in London under the name Flora Deaver. As such, she has been working as the secretary to Lady Katherine Eversham and as a reporter for Kate's newspaper. She had fled to the city to escape an unwanted marriage arranged by her odious stepfather--to his equally odious secretary. But when she sees a newspaper article stating that her half-sister stands accused of murdering her husband--the same odious secretary, she knows she must rush home to do whatever she can to clear her sister's name. She knows that Violet could never have killed the man--not just because she's her sister, but because he was shoved off the top of a tower and Violet is terrified of heights.

Poppy leaves a hurried note for Kate (who is a friend as well as employer) and Caro (recently wed to her Viscount) and makes a beeline for the train station where she is promptly relieved of her life's savings by a cut-purse. She runs after the man, shouting "Stop, thief!" and runs smack into Joshua Fielding, the Duke of Langham. The two have already met in the previous novel and were not exactly enamoured of each other. But Langham is a gentleman and can't leave a lady in need. When he discovers that she is headed to the same village as he (its conveniently home to his country estate) and why, he proposes a deal. He'll use his ducal influence in every way possible to assist her quest for justice and she will accompany him to the estate--as his fiancee! 

You see, Langham is due home for his grandmother's birthday party, an annual gala which the matriarch uses as an attempt to see her grandson hooked up with a suitable woman to become the duchess. He just knows there will be a harem of women for him to look over and he has absolutely no intention of marrying any of them. If Poppy will agree to a faux engagement for the duration, it will save him no end of bother and if she's appearing as his fiancee, there will be even more reason for his ducal protection. The uneasy bargain is struck and the two of them give the house party the shock of season when they step off the train and Langham makes the introductions.

Poppy faces fire from the society ladies whose noses have been put out of joint, but, fortunately, she was gently bred before leaving home and has the manners and courage to face things out. She even, after a rather stiff introduction, manages to win over the Dowager Duchess and Langham's two sisters. Poppy begins to feel bad about the deception, but once started she knows she has to go on with it if she's to have any chance of saving Violet. 

And...what about that murder? Well, it winds up that there is dirty work afoot between the dead man and his boss. They've been swindling people and a note that Lanham and Poppy find while investigating seems to indicate that the victim had been blackmailing various people as well. Was there a falling out between the thieves? Did one of his victims decide to eliminate the blackmailer? Or...there's an indication that there may have been an attachment between Violet and Langham's cousin & steward. Is the murderer closer to Langham than Poppy? 

Meanwhile, as Langham and Poppy work together to fool the house guests as well as play detective, they find themselves wishing more and more that the engagement wasn't fake....

So, the next audiobook in this series begins by telling us that these are romance novels with mystery thrown in. Perhaps--there is quite a bit of romance going on here and, of course, as happens when two people who dislike each other on sight are thrown into a faux engagement/relationship for one reason or another, they naturally wind up madly in love. But--this particular installment in the series has a quite respectable mystery in it. Very nicely clued and if I had thought just a little bit harder about the first one presented I could have figured out who the culprit was. As it happened, I didn't and went haring off after a red herring. And the romance is quite good as well--I really like Langham and Poppy. Especially Poppy. I loved how she stood up to the society women who were determined to put her in her place (without success). The scene in the tower (when they get locked in) seemed a bit rushed and forced for where the relationship was, but otherwise the progression of their relationship was handled well. I'm looking forward to finishing the next installment. ★★★★

First line: Violence regrettably was out of the question.

Last line: "You make a good point," she said as he took her mouth, and it was quite a long while before they spoke again.
********************

Deaths = one stabbed

Murder at the Royal Albert Hall

 Murder at the Royal Albert Hall (2021) by Lee Strauss (read by Elizabeth Klett)

August 1926. A night of operatic culture and a matrimonial triumph for Felicia Gold turns into tragedy. Ginger Reed and her family--husband Inspector Basil Reed, Grandmother Ambrosia & sister-in-law Felicia (by Ginger's previous marriage), and Felicia's beau Charles, Lord Davenport-Witt--are out for night at the opera. An event prompted by a note the Dowager Lady Gold received from two old friends from finishing school days. Ambrosia agreed to come and meet them at the interval, but insisted on sitting with her family. Before the curtain rises, Charles takes center stage and publicly proposes to Felicia (delighting the young woman who loves to be the focus of attention).

But her delight turns to horror later in the evening when the Duchess of Worthington, another of Ambrosia's former friends, falls from the balcony and dies. What initially looks like accident is soon proves to be murder. When the Duke of Worthington is also killed, it seems that somebody is working out a grudge. And when Basil and Ginger try to question Ambrosia and the remainder of the "sisterhood"--just to get background on the Worthingtons, none of the ladies want to talk. Could it be that secrets of the past are just now taking their toll? And what could possibly have happened now that murder seems like the only answer? Ambrosia's diary from those years may hold some clues, but will she be willing to share it before more murders take place?

This is an interesting twist in the Ginger Gold mysteries. Through Ambrosia's diary entries, we get a glimpse of what the Dowager Duchess was as a young girl (and we see shades of both Felicia and Ginger's personalities there--even though Ginger isn't blood related). We also get a more solid mystery with clues. If the solution had rested entirely on the clues given, I would have raised my rating even more but, alas, there isn't any way that I can see (well--hear, since I listened to the audio version) that the reader could have figured out the complete motive. I suspected the right culprit--but more from context than from clues to motive. I will concede that it's possible I missed the clues. It's more difficult for me to pick them up and track them when listening rather than reading with my eyes. But I don't think I did. I'm also not sure how to interpret that last line...I'm hoping that what I think might be in store is a figment of my imagination. ★★★★

First line: The anticipation surrounding the opera at the Royal Albert Hall was palpable.

Last lines: Ginger sighed. She would make a truce with Charles that their past wouldn't come to haunt them. Would it?
*********************

Deaths = 4 (two stabbed; two poisoned)

Two Bronze Pennies

 Two Bronze Pennies (2015) by Chris Nickson

It's Christmas Eve 1890 and DI Tom Harper is looking forward to his first Christmas with his wife, Annabelle. They'll spend an hour with her sister and then the rest of the time will be all theirs. But...murder has other ideas. When a young Jewish man is found stabbed to death with his body arranged in the form of a cross and two pennies on his closed eyes, Harper is called out on the cold night. He grew up in the area where the victim was found--an area that has slowly filled with Jewish immigrants from all over Europe. The climate had remained calm for many years, but now "No Jews" signs are popping up throughout the area and a group of young Jewish men are forming a society to push back. After all--they were born in England and are just as British as anyone else, why shouldn't they be treated equally? Harper's superiors want him to find the killer/s quickly and prevent the massive outbreak of violence that may come if tension is not relieved.

But before Harper and his men can make much headway, a young firebrand Rabbi is also murdered and left in the same fashion. In an effort to get a lead, Constable Billy Reed agrees to go undercover in a group of "England for the English" ex-military officers. Having served in Afghanistan himself, Reed fits right in. Through his covert operations, he soon learns of a shadowy leader known only as "Alfred" (most obviously not his real name) and even gets to meet him. But before he can learn Alfred's real identity, his cover is blown. He's found unconscious and severely beaten in a woods near the Jewish district. It isn't until Reed finally awakens and there is a chance spotting of Alfred in the hospital that Harper can begin connecting the dots between the killings...the killers...and Alfred. And he still has to get hard evidence that Alfred was on the spot in order to put the man away for good. Can it be done?

A nicely atmospheric, fairly solid Victorian police procedural. It leaves a bit to be desired in actual clues/evidence (the way Harper uses Reed to make the charge stick to Alfred is a bit unsettling) but overall a good look at police procedure near the turn of the century. What I most appreciated about this one is that I got the hoped-for character expansion (which I expressed in my review of the series debut). We learn quite a bit more about Harper and Reed and the women in their lives which gives a new depth to the characters. ★★★

First line: "Have you heard a word I said, Tom Harper?"

Last line: "You'll just have to wait and see, won't you, Tom Harper?"
*****************

Deaths = 5 (two stabbed; two natural; one strangled)

Blotto, Twinks & the Dead Dowager Duchess

 Blotto, Twinks & the Dead Dowager Duchess (2010) by Simon Brett

Blotto and Twinks are off on another mad-dash adventure in the 1920s--where secret societies are plotting to upend the status quo and our particular secret society is planning on wiping out all of the aristocracy. Or at least all of those who will be sitting in the House of Lords at Christmas time. Our heroes must track down the man behind the scheme and thwart his plans before the lords of the realm go the way of the first victim of the book. The adventure begins with the death of the Dowager Duchess of Melmont at her own country house party. Since the interfering woman was determined to see her daughter wed to Blotto (a plan Blotto did not agree with...), he wouldn't mind that she were dead so much if his own chauffeur hadn't been hauled off as chief suspect at the instigation of one of those "know-it-all polymathic amateur sleuths" (see quote below) who always show up at 1920s country house weekends. After all, good chauffeurs don't grow on trees. 

So, Blotto and Twinks decide to hunt down the real killer themselves. And that determination leads them on a trail through opium dens, third-rate pubs, and tea shops. It finds them parachuting in to an unknown estate and rescuing the very girl that Blotto would give anything to not rescue (lest she want to fulfill her dead mama's plans) and finally leads them to a decrepit Scottish castle which just happens to serve as the headquarters for the League of the Crimson Hand (the aforementioned secret society). They promptly wind up as prisoners. The clock is ticking towards zero hour and it will take all of Twinks's ingenuity to get them out of the dungeon and on their way to save lords who are sitting ducks back in London.

Apparently I was in a much better mood for this, the second in the Blotto & Twinks series, than I was for the one featuring the Ex-King's Daughter (see link for review). While everyone still does go on a bit too much in the hearty English manner ("Twinks, me old bloater;" "Blotto, me old gumdrop,"  "Tickey-tockey" and so on...), it didn't grate on me quite so much. And I really did enjoy the brother/sister team's adventures in the 1920s. Brett seemed intent on making this outing a combo of Boys' Own Adventure and Sax Rohmer style thriller with a hefty send-up of the mad villain out to end civilization as we know it. Brett's strong point in these stories is his slam-bang finishes. We have Blotto taking out dozens of bad guys with his "second-best cricket bat" and lovely dogfight with Twinks at the second gunner's position in an early airplane. Lots of fun and shenanigans...and of course our heroes come out unscathed.  ★★★ and 1/2

First lines: If there was one thing Blotto (properly known as the Honourable Devereux Lyminster) didn't like about weekend house parties, it was the inevitable gathering-together of a large number of people with dark secrets in their past, along with the tiresome near-certainty that one of them would get murdered. Not to mention the unavoidable presence of a know-it-all polymathic amateur sleuth who would happen to be staying for the weekend. And the obligatory moment when the aforementioned know-it-all polymathic amateur sleuth would dragoon everyone into the library to tell them whodunit.

Last lines: And Blotto? Oh, he went hunting.
****************

Deaths = 5 (one stabbed; two shot; one fell from height; one plane crash)

Murder in Hyde Park

 Murder in Hyde Park (2020) by Lee Strauss (read by Elizabeth Klett)

 It's time for the summer fashion show and, daring the weather, the organizers decide to set up the runway in Hyde Park. Ginger Reed and Feathers & Flair are major sponsors and Ginger had taken up the job of organizing the grand do. Famous designers from Italy and France--including the unconventional Coco Chanel--have models to display alongside the British design offerings. Despite Coco Chanel's calculated late arrival (anything for publicity!), the show begins smoothly...until models begin falling on the runway. It is soon apparent that things are far more serious than clumsiness. One of the models, an up-and-coming tennis champion with hopes of Wimbledon, dies and the cause is shown to be poisoning from a blow dart. Coco Chanel's one-of-a-kind bamboo parasol is missing and the bamboo shaft would have made an ideal method of delivery. And when evidence shows that the dart must have been sent on its deadly way from the direction of the famous designer's tent, the net gets a little tighter around her and her entourage. She calls in a favor from the Great War and hires Ginger to "prove my innocence." But as the evidence mounts, it begins to look like that may be an impossible ask. And then a second British tennis player is nearly killed...can anyone really believe that Coco Chanel or one of her fashion crew is out to knock off all the rising stars of British tennis?

A decent outing in the Ginger Gold mystery series. The mystery is fair--though once we clear one bit of evidence and possible suspect/s out of the way, there really isn't many options left in the suspect department. And the use of rare "froggy poison" that our culprit just happened to have access to and manage to sneak off with (supposedly before every having murderous thoughts against anyone). Seriously? I'm also not keen on the inclusion of Coco Chanel. First--I don't like her blackmailing Ginger over the knowledge that Coco has about Ginger's nom de plume during the war and the fact that she (Coco) isn't bound by the secrets act and could blab any time she wants to. Knowing what I now know about Coco's ties to Nazis in WWII, I wouldn't trust her as far as I could throw her. And, even though Ginger doesn't know what the designer is going to do in WWII, I don't see Ginger wanting to make friends with a woman who would use such knowledge as leverage (this is a "hope" Ginger expresses at the end of the case). We finally got rid of one secret service thorn in Ginger's side (two books ago), did we really need to saddle her with another? And...one final quibble: Here we have Ginger putting herself and her unborn child into harm's way again. This time pretty much on purpose--and why on earth she would trust the culprit when it was suggested that they just "shake hands and be friends" I have no idea. She's just lucky the killer had decided to aim at someone else AND had run out of "froggy poison." 

On the plus side, it was nice to see a slightly different side to the fashion industry--though a bit briefer than one might like. And the addition of tennis as a backdrop was also good. As always, the descriptions of the period and locales are detailed and intriguing. ★★★

First line: The grand fashion summer show set in Hyde Park was only one day away and Feathers & Flair was abuzz with energy.

Last line: Ginger sighed. Her natural inquisitiveness was a tremendous trait when it came to her investigative work but when it came to Ambrosia her curiosity would have to wait.
***************

Deaths = one poisoned 

Murder at Brighton Beach

 Murder on Brighton Beach (2020) by Lee Strauss (read by Elizbeth Klett)

Ginger and Basil take the household--adopted son Scout, sister-in-law (loosely defined) Felicia, grandmother (loosely defined) Ambrosia, and two maids--for a family vacation at Brighton Beach. And even though she's four months pregnant, often nauseous, a bit foggy-brained at times, and often tired, Ginger can't help getting involved in a mystery. When they arrive, they immediately find out that Austin Bainbridge, the brother of one of the guests, had disappeared in the last week or so. He apparently went for a swim and never came back. The authorities have determined (without a body) that it must be accidental drowning, but neither his brother nor his sister-in-law believe it. They are sure there's more to the disappearance than meets the eye. The brother had a way of backing uncertain...even sometimes shady...ventures. Could he have disappeared on purpose? Or perhaps something more dreadful than an accident has occurred?

Meanwhile, Felicia is finally making her grandmama happy by getting interested in a man with a title. Lord Davenport-Witt, is a member of Bainbridge party and a charming man. Felicia is immediately attracted and sure that this time he really is the one. (She has a history of "falling in love" at first sight...). Ginger, on the other hand, doesn't feel quite right about him (is it only pregnancy hormones talking?). She has this niggling feeling that she's met him before and there's no good vibes associated with that meeting. Felicia also has competition. Film star Poppy Kerslake has already made a claim on Davenport-Witt and is all-out to keep Felicia from knowing him better.

But...Davenport Witt is invited to join Basil, Ginger, Scout, Scout's new friend--the youngest Bainbridge, and Felicity on an afternoon sailing excursion. While Felicity meets the lord's charm with her own, Scout and his friend spy something floating near the boat. It winds up being a large trunk and Ginger and Basil suspect that they've found the missing man. They're proved right when the trunk is later opened (sans the youngsters) and now there's a murder to be solved. The local authorities ask the visiting Yard man to investigate and Basil and Ginger are off on another mysterious adventure.

The trunk belonged to Poppy Kerslake--is she involved or did someone just find her trunk to be a convenient size? When Poppy winds up dead from a tumble down the stairway and evidence points to a push rather than an accident, it looks very much like the latter. Motives begin to pile up--Austin had been frittering away the family fortune on bad deals, giving his brother a motive. He'd been throwing wrenches in the works of his latest deal, giving his business partner (also on hand) a motive. He'd had an illicit (albeit short) affair with his brother's wife, giving each of them a motive. The more Ginger and Basil dig, the more motives emerge. Ginger makes one last discovery that will solve the case...but when the murderer finds her before she can tell Basil will it actually be her last discovery for all time? [Well--of course not, she is the heroine after all. But it does look dire for a bit...]

An interesting entry in the Ginger Gold mystery series with an interesting motive for the murder. I have to say though--Ginger puts herself (and her unborn child) into danger when she really has no business doing so. She should have gone back to Basil, told him of a certain confrontation she witnessed as well as her suspicions, and let him handle it from there. But then she does have "baby brain" and isn't thinking quite as clearly as she might. I also had high suspicions of the culprit long before Ginger did (based entirely on an earlier episode when X was somewhere unexpected). Real clues though? Not until Ginger finds them in the last (dangerous) scenes. This is a fun, historical series though and I'm looking forward to the next installment with Coco Chanel. ★★★ and 1/2

First line: Mrs. Ginger Reed gripped her husband's arm.

Last line: Ginger pulled back to stare at Basil, feigning offense, "As if I could."
*****************

Deaths = 4 (two broken necks; one shot; one mining accident)

A Conspiracy of Poisons

 A Conspiracy of Poisons (1977) by J. G. Jeffreys (Ben Healey)

Synopsis (from book flap): The ace of Bow Street Runners, rollicking, resourceful, womanizing Jeremy Sturrock, and his dreadful clerk Master Maggsy, are back again, this time called on to investigate a Napoleonic plot which may threaten the safety of Britain in an ingenious and carefully worked-out mystery.

The year is 1804, and the trail leads from a beautiful but mysteriously poisoned prostitute to the grisly digging up of a still more mysterious corpse, back to the salons of a fashionable brothel, and on to a headlong ride to the wilds of Savernake Forest.

Once upon a time, a young Bev read A Wicked Way to Die (the second book in the Jeremy Sturrock series) and pronounced it good enough to put Jeffreys on the TBF (To Be Found) list. This resulted in my picking up both the current read (book #4) and Suicide Most Foul (book #5) along the way. I've not come across the first or third in my book hunts. And now, having finished, A Conspiracy of Poisons, I'm left wondering just what the heck young Bev was thinking. Sturrock has a fine head on his shoulders for detective work in these early days of the Bow Street Runners, I will give him that. But you'd need to do a hefty bit of detective work yourself to find a more unsavory cast of characters (every single one of them, from the "good" guys to the bad guys) in a piece of historical detective fiction. 

With the language of the book (which does its best to give us early 19th Century speech and writing patterns), it's a bit of a slog to make one's way through to the essential details. And with several characters running around under more than one name, it's a bit difficult to keep up with the players (with or without a scorecard)--especially keeping track of which ones might be minions of the chief villain. That's the good news. Once the chief villain is introduced, there's no problem remembering who they are. Unless you were looking for a good old-fashioned whodunnit and wanted to try and figure out the villain from clues. Then it's bad news, I suppose. 

We've also got a run of pretty senseless murders. The first one makes the most sense--we're afraid the woman is going to give away the whole plot against the British crown. But one is pure mistake and another is for reasons I still haven't gotten clear (and I read that bit twice). All in all, a fairly disappointing read. I can only suppose that either A Wicked Way to Die was a much better mystery or that young Bev wasn't nearly as jaded as she is now. I'll probably go ahead and read the last Jeffreys book I own--but unless it's much better than the ★★ outing I've just had, I won't be seeking out any more. 

First line: "Pray, Mr. Sturrock," said my publisher, tapping his fingers on the desk, "pray," says he, "let us have a work of more weighty matter."

Last line: I cheered as loud as Master Maggsy when His Majesty emerged from the sea.
*****************

Deaths = 6 (four poisoned; one stabbed; one shot)

Murder on Fleet Street

 Murder on Fleet Street (2020) by Lee Strauss 
(read by Elizabeth Klett) 

Lord George Whitmore is a well-known older society gent with a roving eye. He's also been dabbling as a "employee" of a London bank (though no one seems to know exactly what he does). Ginger Reed aka Lady Gold of Lady Gold Investigations also knows him as a fellow secret service agent during the war. When Whitmore is found dead in the bath of his latest side entertainment, it's difficult to know if the deed is related to his philandering (a vengeful wife or the mistress's wish to be rid of him, something mysterious at the bank, or his ties to the secret service. But after Ginger finds a coded message in her pocket after a chance encounter with the gentleman shortly before his death, she suspects the latter. And when Captain Smithwick, her "handler" during her war service, shows up and asks her to take up the job once more to help track down a Communist cell in London, she's proved right.

Whitmore had been on the cell's trail and had just discovered their meeting place (revealed once Ginger cracks his code) before he was killed. Smithwick insists that she pose as a French Communist contact and try to infiltrate the cell. At this point in her life, Ginger has more hostages to fate--especially with the recent adoption of Scout--and is reluctant to put them in danger. But she really doesn't have a choice. And it's going to be difficult to keep her undercover investigation from her sharp-eyed husband Inspector Basil Reed, especially since he's the one investigating Lord Whitmore's death.

Somewhat spoilerish ahead! 

So, this is one of my favorite historical mystery series. It's possibly my favorite cozy-leaning historical mystery series. That would be why the plot in this one (and to some extent Murder at Bray Manor) goes a bit against the grain. I'm sure Ginger was a terrific agent in the war and I'd even be willing to read a series of books that were based on that work. But--I'm not a huge fan of dragging in the secret service angle now. Especially now that she's married to Basil and has various family commitments--hostages to fortune as I mentioned. And I really don't like Captain Smithwick. He does redeem himself at the end of this one and (Spoiler!) I wouldn't wish his fate on anyone, but I haven't enjoyed the plots with him shoved in nearly as much. He also seems to bring a bit more violence with him when he shows up. In this one we get Ginger and Basil tied up with a bomb ready to blow them to smithereens. I'm just glad we didn't decide to somehow put Scout in danger as well.

Once the Communist cell connection was made, the solution became fairly obvious, though it was a coin toss between the two most prominent members as to who actually did the deed. Not one of the best-plotted mysteries in the series, particularly in terms of clues and red herrings, but a good enough diversion for a few days. ★★★

First line: Mrs. Ginger Reed, also known around the city of London as Lady Gold, loved a good party, and if the official adoption of her son Scout wasn't a fabulous reason to celebrate then she could think of what was.

Last line: "Oh, Basil! I can't believe we're going to have a baby!"
*******************

Deaths = 3 (one electrocuted; one stabbed; one bomb explosion)

A Particular Eye for Villainy

 A Particular Eye for Villainy (2012) by Ann Granger

Mr. Thomas Tapley, an eccentric, scholarly, older man is found bludgeoned to death in his sitting room in the lodgings he rents from a Quaker lady. Fortunately, Inspector Benjamin Ross of Scotland Yard is a nearby neighbor and is quickly on the scene. But it's difficult to discover a motive or even a suspect for the death of a man with no apparent connections or past. But then Mr. Jonathan Tapley, QC, hears of the death and comes to identify him. It seems that Thomas Tapley had left England for France in the wake of scandal that threatened his family's good name. But what brought him back to England now? And who knew he was here and might have wanted to kill him? 

Coincidentally, Ben's wife Lizzie had seen Thomas earlier that day--and is convinced that a man dressed as a clown was following him. She also learns that he had a mysterious visitor a few days before his death. There's also the foreign couple who showed a great deal of interest in Tapley's country property. The list of suspects slowly begins to mount and when Ben realizes that the killer must have run off with Thomas's latch key, he knows that he will have a way to tie the culprit to the crime...if he can find him. And if the killer holds on to the key.

I seem to have jumped into the Inspector Ross series mid-stream, but that didn't affect my reading pleasure one bit. Granger doesn't seem to have a long story-arc going on as seems to be popular with so many series, so while it might be nice to see Lizzie and Ben meet for the first time and then settle into married life, nothing is spoiled in their life story by starting with book four. 

I quite liked the set-up: reclusive scholarly man who loves his books (and apparently spends what money he has left after lodging costs on the written word). The man has a mysterious past, no visitors (generally speaking), and there's no apparent reason for anyone to wish him dead. It's interesting to watch Ben and Lizzie each dig in their own ways to find out more about their mysterious neighbor. Granger also does a good job with the historical details and I enjoyed my visit to her version of the Victorian period. Once we learn certain details about Thomas's past, it's not difficult to figure out who killed him, but it makes for an interesting story nonetheless. ★★★ and 1/2

First line: A fine spring day in London isn't to be compared with spring in the countryside but the city does its best.

Biddle now turned even redder and I feared his head would burst into flames in the only case I'd ever seen or was likely to see of spontaneous combustion. (p. 55)

Maidservants operate a sort of telegraph system of their own by which anything like that [gossip] runs round like like wildfire. (p. 69)

"You always had a funny sort of interest in corpses. Ladies do have hobbies, I know. Only generally it's painting flowers or bothering the poor with their good works. But your pa was a sawbones, I recollect you telling me. So I suppose it runs in the family. You certainly have a particular eye for murder." (Mr. Slater; p. 86)

Last lines: "Then she'll be truly happy..." Lizzie reached out and took my hand..."like you and me."
*****************

Deaths = 2 (one hit on head; one natural)

[Finished on 6/17/26--just got the review done.]

The Case of Cabin 13

 The Case of Cabin 13 (1999) by Sam McCarver

Synopsis (from the back of the book): Passengers are dying on the White Star Lines transatlantic ocean liners. Three mysterious suicides, on three different ships--all in first-class cabins numbered 13. And with the maiden voyage of their newest ship imminent--an incomparably lavis vessel called the Titanic--the cruise line can't afford a fourth. With the police stumped, Professor John Darnell, the world's first and only "paranormal detective," may be their last hope of debunking rumors of a murderous ghost. Soon the famed skeptic has agreed to be the next occupant of cabin 13--and he's sure it's no spirit he's after.

As the world's largest and purportedly safest ship sets sail, neither Darnell's sixth sense nor his investigative skills can protect him from the twin perils he is about to face. Can the American-born Englishman possibly survive the deadly forces of both nature and man? Because somewhere on the icy sea, a killer is lurking...

Okay...I've got to get a couple of things off my chest at the outset. First there's our hero, the "first and only 'paranormal detective.'" Really? I believe (if we're sticking to fictional characters) that Sheridan Le Fanu's Dr. Martin Hesselius (from the 1870s) and William Hope Hodgson's Thomas Carnacki (first written of in 1910) would like a word. And then, like the historical mysteries that are littered with strong-minded women and the men who love and encourage them, the Titanic seems to be bursting with fictional detectives who are hot on the trail of murderers and who manage to find one of the limited spots on a lifeboat to live to tell the tale. As I said in my review of the Holmes pastiche which finds Holmes and Watson onboard the ill-fated ship:

...if all the fictional people who have sailed on the Titanic and lived to tell the tale had actually been there and done that....well, none of the real, live people who survived the tragedy could actually have made it. There wouldn't be room on the survivor roll call. 

Now that we've got those two quibbles out of the way...I am enthusiastic about this take on a mystery set on the Titanic as well as the mystery itself. The plot has a few flaws (like Darnell not actually deducing who the killer is and only finding out when the culprit sneaks into his cabin to see if the poison in his sherry had done the job), but Darnell is a charming character with a lot of promise and potential. The motive for the crimes make sense and could have been deduced, so there's a definite attempt at fair play here. It was interesting to see that McCarver gave some of the reported actions of Lightoller and Ismay to Darnell and the killer respectively, but it was done in good faith to service the fictional murder plot. This is a good debut to a series that has five more entries. ★★★ and 1/2

First line: Professor John Darnell smiled as he poked his way along through the clammy opaqueness of the thick, moist fog, using his black umbrella as a walking stick.

Last line: "I think you know," he said, smiling into her eyes, "which cabin we won't take."
****************

Deaths = 18 (two overboard; one poisoned one shot; one natural; thirteen drowned)

A Case of Life & Limb

 A Case of Life & Limb (2025) by Sally Smith

It's the Christmas season in the Temple and even the King's Counsellors are feeling festive with the dusting of snow. It's time for a break in court appearances, family gatherings, and presents in pretty packages. But the gaily-wrapped that shows up on Sir William Waring's doorstep doesn't exactly contain glad tidings of great joy. A desiccated severed hand is wrapped up in the tissue paper within...with a card that says: Can I give you a hand?

After Sir Gabriel Ward's success at tracking down a murder just a few months ago, Waring turns to him again to discreetly investigate the origins of the grisly package. Gabriel would much rather spend his time preparing for a particularly difficult libel case brought by the beautiful and beloved music hall star Topsy Tillotson against the notorious tabloid newspaper, the Nation's Voice. The newspaper had published a story that Topsy, known as "the unconquerable," had been truly conquered by the Honorable Frederick Sewell. She swears she doesn't know the man, has never even met him, and that the story is a filthy lie. And she wants Gabriel to represent her in the case against the tabloid. He has quite a job ahead of him to prove their case. And now he has to divide his time on a hunt for the practical joker with a morbid sense of humor.

But when more packages arrive and the shock of receiving one kills one of Gabriel's oldest friends withing the Inner Temple, he knows he must devote more time to the investigation. It becomes quite evident that someone has a deep-set grudge against the members of the Temple and doesn't mind if a few people die while they exact their revenge. Gabriel teams up with his new-found friend Constable Wright of the City of London Police to bring the culprit to justice...all while finding a way to salvage the reputation of his client in the libel case.

This was a terrific follow-up to Gabriel's debut in A Case of Mice & Murder. Often the second book in a series is weaker than the debut, but not so in this case. Gabriel has gained confidence in his sleuthing skills (which spills over into his conduct of the libel case--out-performing the histrionic Sir Edward Hopkins and winning over the jury with flair and emotion). His relationship with Constable Wright has also progressed and the two make an even better sleuthing team than before. I enjoyed watching them investigate the mysteries--both together and separately--and particularly enjoyed Wright's dishing out a bit of extra justice when Sewell receives what seems to be a mere hand-slap. 

This is a particularly satisfying mystery--even if I did see one part of the ending coming. But I have to say that I found the development of Gabriel's character even more satisfying. Smith is gradually widening his experience--the man has had a set pattern to his life and few social interactions or commitments beyond those necessitated by his profession. Constable Wright is becoming a good friend and the way a certain cat by the name of Delphinium insinuates herself into his routine is delightful. I am eager to see where the next Case takes him. ★★★★ and 1/2

First line: No hint of the horror to come was discernible in the pure snow.

"Nothing is horrible beyond description," said Gabriel, his inner lawyer--ever alert to inaccuracy of vocabulary--challenged this observation. "Words are all we have. Everything is describable, however terrible. Look at Medea; look at the Book of Revelation; look, for that matter, at Dracula." (Gabriel Ward; p. 10)

Last lines: Really, he thought to himself disagreeably, sometimes I do wonder about Sir Gabriel Ward KC. Now he has taken to walking about the Tempe with that objectionable cat at his heels. A lawyer of his seniority and distinction. One of our King's Counsell! In public! I shall have to speak to him.
*******************

Deaths = 4 (two natural; one hit on head; one strangled)

The Harlot of St. Cecelia's

 The Harlot of St. Cecelia's (2026) by Darcy Graves

Synopsis (from the back of the book): London, 1923. American expat librarian Eden Brior thinks things are bad when she is accidentally locked overnight in the St. Cecelia's Library vault with the charming and unreliable playboy Simon Cross. Then she emerges to find the body of his estranged wife, a French actress, draped over a chair upstairs.

Detective Inspector William Garrett is quiet, perceptive, and fairly certain he already has his man. He tells Eden to go home, read a book, and leave the detecting to the professionals But how can she?

Racing to clear their names before Garrett closes the case, Eden follows the truth from the bright footlights of the London stage through the sleek drawing rooms of Jazz Age society, and secrets that someone will kill to keep buried.

Eden believes Garrett has decided that she and Cross may be in cahoots and this leads to her seeking answers on her own. When Simon's sister Meg also finds Garrett's investigation to be too focused on her brother, she and Eden join forces to out-sleuth the sleuths. And it's amazing what suspects and witnesses will tell ladies that they'd never dream of telling the police...But when their queries put them too close on the murderer's trail, they find that s/he isn't afraid to kill again if necessary to keep their secrets safe.

This is a marvelous debut novel in a new historical series. My favorite historical time period runs from the Victorian era through World War II and this look at the years between the wars was a great treat. The characters are vivid and well-defined and even though we've just met, I feel like I've known Eden and Meg, Simon and Inspector Garrett for ages. Eden and Meg make an excellent amateur detective team and really steal the show from Garrett (if he's intended to the be the leading recurring character). Not that the inspector doesn't have his charm. One definitely sympathizes with his trials and tribulations with his less competent subordinates (and superior, if the truth be told). One gets the feeling that he could really shine if there were better support amongst his colleagues. I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward with great anticipation for future installments! ★★★★ 

First line: There was very nearly a murder in the Library that Thursday afternoon.

Last line: when he reached the end of the street Garrett turned and looked back, but she had returned to her garden.
********************

Deaths = 3 (one strangled; one natural; one shot)

[finished on 6/1/26--but vacation delayed my review]

 ~~~This book was given to me as a review copy by the author, Darcy Graves in exchange for an honest review. All comments (except the quoted synopsis--in italics) are my own and I have received no payment of any kind.

How to Solve Your Own Murder

 How to Solve Your Own Murder (2024) by Kristen Perrin

Synopsis (from book flap): It's 1965 and teenage Frances Adams is at an English country fair with her two best friends. But Frances's life takes a hairpin turn when a fortune-teller makes a bone-chilling prediction: One day, Frances will be murdered. Frances spends a lifetime trying to solve a crime that hasn't happened yet, compiling dirt on every person who crosses her path in an effort to prevent her own demise. For decades, no one takes Frances seriously. Until, that is, nearly sixty years later when Frances is found murdered. 

In the present day, Annie Adams has been summoned to a meeting at the sprawling country estate of her wealthy and reclusive great aunt Frances. But by the time Annie arrives in the quaint English village of Castle Knoll, Frances is already dead. Annie is determined to catch the killer, but thanks to Frances's lifelong habit of digging up secrets, it seems every endearing and eccentric villager might just have a motive for her murder.

Can Annie safely unravel the dark mystery at the heart of Castle Knoll, or will dredging up the past throw her into the path of a killer? As Annie gets closer to the truth, and closter to the danger, she starts to fear she might inherit her great aunt's fate instead of her fortune.

My take--the short and sweet version: not nearly as captivating as anticipated. 

The premise was really good. Here we have the village busybody keeping track of everyone and their doings for a completely new reason. They're not just doing it to be nosy. They're not feeling holier-than-thou and wanting to point out everybody's "sins." They're not the village blackmailer. No--they just want every little fact they can get their hands on to try and figure out who might want to kill them and why. But, honestly, I wasn't all that taken with Frances. I definitely didn't care for her "friends." And Annie wasn't all that appealing either. Neither the diary entries from 1966 nor the current-day chapters featuring Annie felt authentic. The portions supposedly written by teenage Frances feel more mature than the bits with Annie, who has graduated from a London arts college and, I assume, is older. 

Of the two mysteries (there's a disappearance in the 1960s that is never explained until Frances is killed), I actually found the missing girl more interesting. While there was a definite effort at red herrings and false clues in the matter of Frances's death (and I did appreciate the attempt to create a classic crime novel), it didn't pay off. The culprit was obvious to me fairly soon after Annie started trying to piece things together.

It appears that there's a series of these books where Frances keeps getting involved in murders and whatnot and somehow those murders mirror or are connected to modern-day mysteries in Annie's life. Really? I'm thinking you can only take duality so far...and the first book seemed to me to reach that limit. ★★

First line: "Your future contains dry bones."

Last line: Putting pen to blank paper, I started writing.
*********************

Deaths = 3 (one poisoned; one shot; one natural)

The Anatomist's Apprentice

 The Anatomist's Apprentice (2011) by Tessa Harris

Synopsis [from the book flap]: In the first in a new mystery series set in eighteenth-century England, Tessa Harris introduces Dr. Thomas Silkstone, anatomist and pioneering forensic detective...The death of Sir Edward Crick has unleashed a torrent of gossip through the seedy taverns and elegant ballrooms of Oxfordshire. Few mourn the dissolute young man--except  his sister, the beautiful Lady Lydia Farrell. When her husband comes under suspicion of murder, she seeks expert help from Dr. Thomas Silkstone, a young anatomist from Philadelphia.

Thomas arrived in England to study under its foremost surgeon, where his unconventional methods only add to his outsider status. Against his better judgment he agrees to examine Sir Edward's corpse. but it is not only the dead, but also the living to whom he must apply the keen blade of his intellect. And the deeper the doctor's investigations go, the greater the risk that he will be consigned to the ranks of the corpses he studies....

One of the blurbs on Goodreads I saw said that if you like The Anatomist's Apprentice, then you'd like the Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries. As a firm fan of the Sebastian St. Cyr, Lord Devlin mysteries, let me say that once you read those, you'll be spoiled and might not want to come back to Dr. Thomas Silkstone. The quality of writing and historical research in the C. S. Harris books are superior. The characters are far more compelling and the mysteries better plotted. Each series (basing the Silkstone series on this one only) have their gruesome moments, but Silkstone's autopsies outdo Devlin's high body count--not in a good way.

The mystery itself had a good premise, but there were too few suspects and I spotted at least part of the solution pretty quickly. There is a nice added twist at the end, but even that is telegraphed a bit ahead of time. Now...this doesn't mean I won't give Silkstone another chance. Though I was immediately hooked on the Devlin books, I have to say that they don't hit their stride until the third book or so. I like the time period and I'm willing to see if the books improve after a slightly rough beginning. ★★ and 1/2

First line (Prologue): Time, they say, is a great physician.

First line (1st chapter): A stifled scream came first, shattering the oppressive silence.

Last line: No doctor had ever devised a remedy to ease lovesickness, but during the cold and unforgiving season that lay ahead without his beloved, the token, he told himself would help warm his aching heart.
******************

Deaths = 8 (one natural; two poisoned; one drowned; two strangled; two beaten)

When the Wolves Are Silent

 When the Wolves Are Silent (2026) ~C. S. Harris (Candice Procter)

London, 1816: We open with Sebastian St. Cyr, Lord Devlin's nephew Bayard Wilcox awakening from a drunken stupor to find his friend Marcus Toole's body burning up in the bonfire they had built as part of a raucous night. Despite the rift between his uncle and his mother, his first thought is to run to Devlin for help. Bayard claims that he and Marcus got rip-roaring drunk (as they are wont to do--usually with a larger group of friends) and thought it would be hilarious to build a bonfire up on Primrose Hill where people who believe in the druidic practices like to hold little get-togethers. He wandered off into the woods to relieve himself and the next thing he knew he was waking up to a strange smell coming from the clearing where he'd left Marcus and the fire. 

While Devlin is waiting for Sir Henry Lovejoy and his Bow Street Runners to arrive, he searches the area and finds a wooden carving shaped like a wolf--on each flank is a Celtic knot. Was this part of some Celtic rite gone wrong? Or is there more to it? When Devlin learns that another of Bayard's friends was recently killed--stabbed and thrown into the river--he has to wonder if the men themselves hold the reason for the killings. In fact, he has to wonder if Bayard is telling him the whole truth or might be responsible himself. His investigation shows him that Bayard and his friends were not nice men. They picked fights, harassed, and destroyed the property of the powerless. All of the men were privileged sons of the wealthy and were never properly brought to account for their actions. Has someone decided to take justice into their own hands? 

More deaths follow--including two of the groups victims--and one of the original six men has disappeared altogether. Now Devlin has to wonder if there is more than one killer at work. The crown (for which read Jarvis, the real power behind the throne) wants someone, anyone arrested and hung for the murders NOW. Preferably one of the riff-raff who are protesting the government. Devlin will have to work quickly if he doesn't want to see an innocent man (or men) hang.

I don't know why I do this to myself. I get the latest Sebastian St. Cyr mystery as soon as I possibly can, read it in a day, and then look around and bemoan the fact that I have to wait a whole year for the next one. You'd think I'd learn--to take my time, to savor the experience, to let it last as long as possible. But, no. These stories are so good. I just can't help gobbling them up. Harris writes an incredible story using her skills as a scholar to research the period, sprinkle interesting facts throughout the narrative (without boring us silly with minute details), and peopling the plot with both real personalities of the time as well as fictional characters with depth.

Devlin's wife Hero has played a role in his detective work occasionally throughout the series and it was nice to see her more involved in this latest case as well. Her contacts in the scholarly realm helped Devlin discover the meaning behind various Celtic and druidic symbols which cropped up along the way. Tom, his tiger, and Calhoun also had their moments to shine--tracking down important witnesses and bits of information that Devlin needed to unravel the case.

I will say that this is quite the complicated plot--far more than I realized while reading it. I can't say much without giving things away, but there are a number of threads to keep track of and I didn't manage keep hold of all of them. The ending was a surprise...but a satisfying surprise.  I was a bit disappointed that we still haven't made any progress on finding out more about Devlin's heritage nor has there been a follow-through on a dangling issue from Hero's side of the family tree. Added to that, we now have to wonder about Sebastian's sister Amanda and if what he predicted for her future will come true. Her son Bayard may have been a nasty piece of work, but she's not far behind....I'm hoping that the next installment will bring some closure on at least one of these issues. ★★★★ and 1/2

First line: Where the bloody hell am I?

"It never ceases to amaze me how otherwise intelligent, reasonable men can have such faulty, antiquated notions about the true nature of fully one half the human race." (Hero, Lady Devlin; p. 49)

Last line: "They got away!"
*****************

Deaths = 19 (two drowned; two stabbed; one burned to death; three strangled; three natural; two in war; one beaten to death; five shot)

Murder by Plum Pudding

 Murder by Plum Pudding (2019) by Lee Strauss

Ginger & Basil Reed wind up with a houseful of guests at Christmas. First, Mr. Doyle a friend of her late father's writes to say he and his wife will be visiting England and wants to discuss some things with Ginger. So, of course, she asks them to stay for the holidays. Then her step-mother Sally and half-sister Louisa arrive unexpectedly on the doorstep--because they wanted to surprise Ginger. So, of course, she opens her home to them as well. Then, for Christmas dinner, there's Basil's mother and father (always a jolly couple--especially now that Scout's adoption has gone through. The adoption they opposed....), Dr. Gupta and his wife, and an older couple who are friends of the elder Reeds. Oh--and, quite by chance, Ginger meets the brother of Mrs. Doyle at a Christmas Eve charity luncheon and invites him as well.

The dinner is a bit tense--for reasons Ginger can only guess at--but festive enough. At least until Mr. Doyle chokes and lands face first in his second helping of plum pudding...dead. At first it looks like he might have choked on one of the items hidden in the pudding; a dreadful accident, but an accident all the same. But Dr. Gupta's examination (in his capacity as police surgeon) reveals that it's more complicated than that. There was no obstruction to the breathing passages. So, what killed the man. And more importantly...who killed him?

A fun novella mystery that's perfect for Christmas (or Christmas in April, as it happens). A bit rushed since it's a shorter work and there aren't a lot of red herrings to muddy the waters, but it's always delightful to visit with Ginger, Basil, and the other regulars. I do wish we could give annoying relatives a rest, though. That theme is getting a bit tired. ★★★

First line: The journal remained tucked away in the bottom drawer of Mrs. Ginger Reed's bedside table along with a photo of her late husband, Daniel Lord Gold.

Last line: "Let's go to the Ritz!"
****************

Deaths = one poisoned

Murder on Eaton Square

 Murder on Eaton Square (2019) by Lee Strauss

Basil and Ginger Reed are invited to a charity event at the Eaton Square home of Mr. Reginald Peck. There is obvious tension between Peck and his wife, Peck and his children, and even Peck and his solicitor. Peck is an invalid whose demeanor may be affected by his health and that's what the Reeds chalk it all up to. But the next day Basil is called back to the Peck home--this time as a Scotland Yard inspector. Reginald Peck has been found dead and while it is assumed that the death is natural, it soon proves to be murder by poisoning. And questioning soon proves that Peck's family had good cause to wish him dead. He wasn't a pleasant family man and they all could use an inheritance. Even his son-in-law who poses as an Indian guru and claims no interest in sordid material matters. It's just a matter of deciding whose motive was biggest and who had the best opportunity. And then Mrs. Peck dies from poisoning as well...Ginger and Basil will need to sift through motives and opportunity to discover whose behind the poisonings. 

Meanwhile, Basil's parents come for a visit and, though they themselves are fairly unconventional, they take great exception Basil & Ginger's plan to adopt Scout, Ginger's ward. Heaven forbid that their heir be a former street urchin! And they threaten to disinherit Basil if the adoption goes through. Considering how much the elder Reeds go against convention--flitting off on trips to South Africa and India and adopting a South African child (who had since been murdered), you'd think they'd be a little more flexible.

This was another solid entry in the Ginger Gold mystery series and it serves up a very interesting solution that I didn't see coming--at least I didn't see one half of the solution coming. I did figure out the other half. I like the way Ginger and Basil's teamwork plays out--Basil is the official arm of the law and Ginger plies the suspects with charm and disarming conversation. Very nicely done. A quick read with a pleasant mystery that makes for a comfortable read. ★★★ and 1/2

First line: Mrs. Ginger Reed, alias Lady Gold, had reserved a box at the London Playhouse Theatre for her family, who now mingling with anticipation and glasses of champagne in hand, waited for the signal that the production of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet was about to begin.

Last line: "I meant the four of us, Bossy."
*****************

Deaths = 3 (two poisoned; one accident)

A Case of Mice & Murder

 A Case of Mice & Murder (2024) by Sally Smith

From the book flap:

When barrister Gabriel Ward steps out of his rooms at exactly two minutes to seven on a sunny May morning in 1901, his mind is so full of his latest case—the disputed authorship of bestselling children’s book Millie the Temple Church Mouse—that he scarcely registers the body of the Lord Chief Justice of England on his doorstep.

But even he cannot fail to notice the judge’s dusty bare feet, in shocking contrast to his flawless evening dress, nor the silver carving knife sticking out of his chest. In the shaded courtyards and ancient buildings of the Inner Temple, the hidden heart of London’s legal world, murder has spent centuries confined firmly to the casebooks. Until now . . .

The police can enter the Temple only by consent, so who better to investigate this tragic breach of law and order than a man who prizes both above all things? But murder doesn’t answer to logic or reasoned argument, and Gabriel soon discovers that the Temple’s heavy oak doors are hiding more surprising secrets than he’d ever imagined . . .

My take: This is a fun first mystery from a King's Counsel turned novelist. Smith brings the Temple of the early 1900s to life and peoples it with extraordinary characters from our amateur sleuth Gabriel Ward to Constable Wright, the officer assigned to assist him, to young Percival Dunning, the son of the murdered man, Gabriel Ward is a man after Hercule Poirot's heart--making sure his inkwell and gold pencil are positioned "just so" on his desk and looking for method and order and connections where others might miss them. He also brings a warmth and humanity to the legal field that is in sharp contrast to some of his colleagues. 

Many of the barristers and judges who live in the Temple are looking how best to position themselves to climb the judicial ladder, if they get justice for their clients or those who appear before them then that's all well and good too. But that may not be their primary goal. This gives them a mighty good motive for doing away with the Lord Chief Justice, because some of them would love to step into his robes. But it's also possible that he was killed for his shoes...after all, his shoes are missing. And then there's the rumor that there have been some odd goings-on in the Temple Church. Maybe Lord Dunning came upon something that someone would rather not have know and paid the price. Though Ward's brief is only to interview the Temple inhabitants and report to the police (with a mandate from the Treasurer to find evidence that some miscreant from outside the Temple walls awas responsible), he keeps investigating long after the last interview. And he's amazed to find that there may be a connection between his important case and murder.

I thoroughly enjoyed Gabriel Ward's first venture into detection--even though I did spot the suspect about midway through. It was still great fun to watch Ward and Wright work their way toward the solution. I hope that Wright will get the recognition due him and his inspector won't steal all the glory.... ★★★★

First line: It is anybody's guess what went through the mind of Lord Norman Dunning, Lord Chief Justice of England, on the evening of 20 May 1901, in those frantic seconds when he knew that his death was inevitable.

Last line: He always went home at nearly six o'clock.
*****************

Deaths =  3 (one stabbed; one natural; one poisoned)

The Murder Wheel

 The Murder Wheel (2023) by Tom Mead

Edmund Ibbs is a young, idealistic lawyer working for the defense in what looks like a hopeless case. Dominic Dean, bank manager, and his wife Carla took a ride on the Ferris wheel at the local fair. But only one of them survived the ride. When their carriage reached the top, there was a shot and Dean was dead before he could receive medical attention. Carla swears that she's innocent and Ibbs wants to find a way to make a jury think she could be. He hears about a mysterious "limping man" who had been following Dean and was seen leaving the fair after the shot by the man who operated the Ferris wheel. He starts looking for answers--interviewing workers at the bank and learning that there had been a robbery at the bank not long before. Is there a connection?

Ibbs is also an amateur magician and decides to take in a show featuring Professor Paolini. During one of the illusions, a dead man falls out when a locked crate is opened....and it is Varga, the operator of the Ferris wheel. When another impossible crime happens in the theater, Ibbs finds himself the prime suspect. But fortunately, Joseph Spector, the expert on impossible crimes is on hand to investigate and between the two of them, they will discover who is responsible for each murder. Do they all tie in with the robbery? And if so, does that mean that Titus Pilgrim, an underworld crime boss, is at the back of it? Or are there different culprits with different motives? We will have to wait and find out.

Tom Mead is carrying on the tradition of John Dickson Carr and other locked room/impossible crime experts from the Golden Age...and doing it well. Using the magician's stocks-in-trade (the art of distraction and sleight-of-hand), he makes it difficult to keep your eye on the ball and figure out which cup it's really under. I absolutely fell for one of the red herrings and was busy trying to tie it to one of the suspects. This kept me from spotting the clues that Mead obligingly sprinkled through the text (and which he helpfully footnotes during Spector's wrap-up scene). I'm still not sure I completely understand how the body got in the crate--even with the delightful little map/diagram that we're given. But I'm trusting that it really does make sense to those more able to decipher the layout. 

Just as with a good magic show, I thoroughly enjoyed being mystified and I really liked the opening mystery with the Ferris wheel. It was also satisfying that we came full circle and had a second helping of attempted murder on the wheel, creating an exciting finish for our hero. This second adventure in the Joseph Spector series is nearly as good as the first and it is another terrific effort at recapturing the spirit of the Golden Age of Detection. ★★★★

First lines: It began with the book. If not for the book, the rest of it would not have happened.

Last lines: Ibbs looked back at the old man. Spector's pale eyes gleamed.
******************

Deaths = 12 ( four natural; four shot; one beaten to death; one broken neck; one fell from height; one hanged)